The Chain of Fate
by Allthequirkythings
Summary: After Aizen's departure, Kira is appointed new captain of the Third Division. After her graduation, Sayuri Torii is on her way to bring her captain back to life. Maybe she'll teach him how to look forward, but he's afraid of the guilt. Maybe he'll find what she tries to hide, but she's afraid of the past. Things hardly ever stay the same when it comes to fate. Kira X OC (?)
1. Who Are You Again?

**So.**

**This story starts with a bit of a sad story. **

**I fell in love with someone...then realized his name was Kira Izuru and he lived in the fictional world of _Bleach_.**

**Somehow, I'd make it work. So meet Torii Sayuri! This story contains many wonderful characters of the magical imagination of Tite Kubo, and contains some allusions and script-takes from the movie, _500 Days of Summer_, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. For those of you who have not seen this movie, watch it. And _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind._**

**For those who read this and read to the end, I love you. For those who don't, I love you too. That's right. _Love_. That creepy internet love only achieved by websites such as these. **

**But onto the story...**

* * *

This is a story of boy meets girl.

The boy, Kira Izuru born of the lesser nobility Kira family, grew up believing that he would never be truly happy until he learned to forget the past. This belief stemmed from early exposure to sad Japanese pop music and a total misreading of the film, _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_.

The girl, Torii Sayuri from Rukon District 53, did not share this belief. Since the discovery of her shinigami powers, she'd only believed in two things. One was letting the dead bury the dead. The second was leaving them far, far behind.

Kira meets Torii the day of her graduation.

He knows almost immediately that he is screwed.

This _is _a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront: this is not a love story.

(1)

Each graduation ceremony of Shin'o Academy was a spectacle within itself...but not for the reason most students would expect. There were no special speeches or hats or diplomas; only a trade-in from their student to shinigami uniform robes. The festivities would be saved after the sorting of the Divisions.

Now however, lay the final ceremony stretch. Five students had battled through their own peers to stand in front of the captains. For some, the choice to wound their friends from school was merely a stepping stone to success. And the final assessment of strength would be tested- sparring against the captain of their chosen division.

These five might have been the strongest, battle-lusting, or smartest in their respective classes- but what was certain was that they were the best in the graduating class.

"The final ceremony will take place in five days," the headmaster announced, wispy beard rippling as he spoke. "We hope you will honor our academy's name and move on to greatness to become honorable shinigami within the Gotei 13. We hope you strive for the best. We hope you hold the ambition. You all hold the monopoly for success, and will surely achieve greatness!"

There was a ring of subdued clapping. The finishing spiel was meant to be congratulatory, not ominous or awkward, but it felt like it...at least to Sayuri. She had registered for the Third Division and was not looking forward to sparring with a captain...and on that note, he didn't seem to be too keen on it either.

He actually didn't look like much, really.

Dull blue eyes warily sweeping the students, long piece of hair falling over his eye. Disconnected look that threw Sayuri off guard.

He just looked emo. Really, really emo.

* * *

"You see that girl over there? With the long red hair?" Iori leaned in and whispered to her captain. "Torii Sayuri. She'll be the new seat."

Kira glanced up wearily from where the captains sat to witness the ceremony.

He had a load of paperwork at his office, and they had called him all the way out here just to see the student. She was glancing around, as if eager to see who she would be sparring against. What a battle-striving person. What a monster.

When her pale eyes met his, they both blinked.

And to his surprise, she raised an arm and a smile, and she waved.

And to her surprise, he waved back.

(5)

"I'm Torii Sayuri," she said. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Kira responded, a tad bit uneasily. "I wasn't expecting to meet you until after sparring..." He glanced at the measly amount of paperwork on his desk as if it offered an excuse. The offices were almost empty this time of day- everyone taking advantage of their afternoon off and enjoying the weather. Kira, however, had no such relaxation- as a newly appointed captain, he had spent hours into the night this month filling out papers for the upcoming mission to the Real World, small jobs, the Captain Commander's forms, and on top of that, the new recruit's paperwork. He was almost done, but now he wished he could do them over again instead of speak to her; he didn't usually like talking to people.

"I could come back later," she offered, tucking a piece of burnt copper hair back. "It's really nothing...I just...wanted to say hello."

Kira looked at her peculiarly. "Hello."

She wasn't striking, but he couldn't seem to be able to look away- it was in the way her mouth curved up as her natural expression, like there was a reward she had and wanted to share it. With him?

Torii smiled. "Hello."

"Hello," he repeated.

For some reason, that made Sayuri laugh. "I think now that our greetings are in order..." she glanced at a magazine on the table and grinned. "You write _Kira Izuru's Haiku Time_ in _Seireitei Communications_, don't you?" Torii picked it up and flipped through it.

"Yes..." he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I didn't think people read it, though."

"Oh, not many people do..." she seemed to realize the brutal..._honesty_ in what she was saying and quickly tried to correct it. "...but those who do are really, really cool people. And your class at the academy was really interesting, I hear. I could never go. I'm not too great at shunpo," Torii shrugged sheepishly and replaced the magazine. "Sensei used to make me chase lost cats."

Kira couldn't help but smile. "Watanabe-sensei, by chance?"

Her tone was teasing. "How'd you know?"

"Not many have you chase cats."

"It was a joke, sir."

He shrugged off his blush, and she laughed again, her eyes disappearing into crescents and hair spilling off her shoulders. It was rather strange how often she laughed. Maybe if she kept it up, Kira would start believing he was funny. But he _wasn't _funny; he knew that..._everyone _knew that; unless he was drunk.

This new recruit had a way to make him feel like her was, though. It was nice, for a change. And something told him that his sense of humor wasn't particularly stimulating, but Sayuri made him feel like it was. And on top of that, she _believed_ it was too- which was a lot better than just another spout of laughter.

"You're funny, sir," Torii smiled, unafraid to meet his eyes.

Izuru looked down and shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't try to be."

"In my opinion, the best kind of people don't."

"Did that opinion just change?"

"It just _formed_."

Kira glanced up. She smiled.

* * *

There's only two types of people in the world.

There's women...and there's men.

Torii Sayuri was a woman.

Height: 5'5, normal. Weight: 109 pounds, normal. Shoe size: 6, slightly below normal. But for all intents and purposes, Torii Sayuri: just another girl.

Except she wasn't.

Torii possessed a rare kind of femininity; the kind that at first-glance really was nothing special. The second look brought one thinking maybe she was slightly lovelier than the girl-next-door. And then, she suddenly possessed the kind of beauty that snuck up on you.

It was in the way that she smiled when someone else smiled, like she knew that happiness all along- just wanted them to find it for themselves.

It was a rare quality, this "esprit special." Rare, and yet something every post-adolescent male has encountered at least once in their lives.

And for Kira Izuru to find it now- within hundreds of new graduates, thousands of shinigami, and millions of souls- could only be explained by one thing.

Fate.

* * *

The academy sparring grounds were only for formal use: the graduation ceremony, and the occasional shikai instruction.

Here, neat grassy boxes stretched over the hill. Trainers and students usually used one square, but in a strength test involving shikai and kidou and shunpo, the captains and new recruits were granted four. So only one match could take place at a time.

And with the severe faces of her other winning peers, the crowd of the losing ones, and a throng of curious bystanders, Sayuri was suddenly glad she and Kira would not be sparring first.

That and...Torii passed a glance to her captain. She wasn't too eager about fighting in the first place.

The first, Byakuya and Wakashi, was short. Her peer, red-faced, left the squares in humiliation; the captain hadn't even used his infamous shikai, nor his high-level kidou...just a simple bakudou number 4, and Wakashi had been tangled by bright white ropes, squirming on the ground like a violent, very embarrassed, very blond fish.

That was okay, though. Wakashi had never been very kind anyway.

The second was Rinko, who sparred for a slightly longer time against Captain Soifong- until a graceful jab into her stomach left the girl unable to breathe.

She watched the captain watch coldly as the girl she beat up staggered away. Kira touched her elbow softly. "I think we're next," he told her.

Somehow, she found herself walking onto the soft grass, drawing her sword, and matching eyes with her captain. They always looked so sad, sad, sad.

_One day_, she thought. _One day, he'll be happy. I'll make him happy. _

"Fighters ready, and...SPAR!"

Before Torii could utter _hadou_, Kira had drawn his zanpakutou.

"Raise your head, Wabisuke!"

She felt the crowd ooh as the blade contorted. And then he was suddenly in front of her, and his blade was knocking hard against her own, hammering against her zanpakutou. Was it...heavier now? With a final clang, Kira pushed her away hard. She rolled to break the fall, her sword falling hard into the ground, useless.

There was no time to dwell on that now; keep looking forward.

Option two-

"Hadou Number 33: blue fire, crash down!" A blue ball of energy formed in her palm, expanding until bursting into the air at him. Wordlessly, a red sphere appeared in his own finger- they crashed together in midair, violent sparks and waves of reishi making her sweat and almost begin to panic.

And then Kira was there again, his sword raised, and eyes meeting hers reluctantly, aiming for a low swipe to her knees.

Nimbly, Torii flash-stepped for a brief moment onto his outstretched forearm and vaulted into the air above him. As Sayuri twisted in the air, she seemed to linger there for a moment, dark auburn hair flying and illuminated for a second into strings of gold.

Her opal eyes blinked at him regrettably, and he lifted Wabisuke too slowly-

-when her legs extended; and her feet stepped satisfyingly hard onto Kira Izuru's face.

* * *

She looked like an angel, almost.

And she was so close.

Her burnt copper hair flew haphazardly around her face, tied up now in a loose ponytail. She had a pale splash of freckles, he just noticed; and collarbones like little shelves holding invisible books...

_Wait...she stepped on my face...probably weighed down by all those little books... _

"Are you...okay?" Her eyes were wide, filled with laughter and worry. The prospect of her feeling worried for him after a little kick in the face was strange-

"Am I dreaming?" Kira murmured. "Or am I drunk?"

"Neither, sir, though I can't promise anything about tomorrow."

Slowly, stiffly, he sat up.

The Fourth Division barracks...an infirmary bed...hospitalized from this girl's _kick in the face_...this was all rather embarrassing...

"I'm so sorry, Kira-san," Torii repeated, a bit of humor sneaking into her words. "I didn't realize...um...you'd have such a soft face."

Speaking of his face...it hurt. A lot. And the eye accustomed to shadows from his bangs felt even...more clouded today. He brushed a hand up, sweeping the hair from his face- and caught his reflection in the window across the room.

A pale, weak-looking stranger staring at him. With a black eye. Matsumoto would give him heck for this.

He let his hair fall dejectedly over his eye again. "That...is quite the bruise," Kira said weakly. "Remind me not to tangle with you."

"No promises, sir," Sayuri teased good-naturedly after seeing he was alright. She leaned easily back against the wall. "I liked that fight. Didn't you?"

"Sure. Let's do it again sometime."

"It's a date, then, Kira-san. Put it in your captain's schedule and call me with the details."

_Kira-san..._ She'd said that a few times now, hadn't she?

Even with the new bruise, today wasn't actually half bad.

(13)

Many of the officers were surprised when they learned the newbie Torii would be on the special mission to the Real World. But not _too _surprised. She _had _been the one who made their captain pass out with a stomp to the face, and was rumored to have already mastered her shikai in her third year.

Those things didn't hinder her social position in the Division, though. Her kindred spirit and happy smiles seemed to draw in people- she had even gotten on the good side of the _captain_, it was rumored, though no one really knew that extent and were too scared to ask. But he'd looked at her and smiled...

...which was almost as weird as when she lifted his bangs and touched his face that one time...and he hadn't pulled away...

Fair enough, she was checking the progress of the resulting bruise of her beautiful kick, but still.

And now, she stood at the side of the team, gazing down at the town in excitement. The first trip to the Real World really was interesting, smiled Iori, the vice captain who had taken a special interest in that girl.

Speaking of whom, now looked like a real shinigami, in the black robes and her zanpakutou wrapped easily around her thin waist.

"Look at those birds!" Sayuri suddenly exclaimed to her vice captain and pointed at a sparrow lazily flying below their feet.

"We have birds in Soul Society," Tani pointed out gently.

"But these are just...so much cooler!"

Iori shook her head slightly. Torii was strong, but was like such a young person sometimes. So innocuous- it was hard to believe she had the ability to slice menos in half.

"We'll divide into two groups," Kira called, face grim in contrast to Sayuri's bright mood. "The strange Hollow presences are, according to the Institute, converging near the west; group one tracks around the area while group two directly corner. Seats ten down with Iori, everyone else with me."

* * *

**So.**

**Sew.**

**I love homonyms.**

_**Exclusive Interview With Le Author and Le OC**_

**Le Author: How are you today, Sayuri?**

**Torii: A bit apprehensive. Kira-san sounds super creepy at the end of that...By the way, are you going to develop my character any more?**

**Le Author: Hm...how do you feel about being secretly angry inside?  
**

**Torii: ...That's...an interesting story, but it kind of contradicts my mellow attitude from before. I'd actually prefer to have one of those weird back stories. I love a good back story.**

**Le Author: Well, I like a good _front_ story. Gettit?**

**Torii: Can I have a sense of humor like that?**

**Le Author: HAH. Maybe later you'll get to make puns and totally have humor spasms.**

**Torii: More like _sarcasm_, amIright?**

**Le Author: Uh oh. Too much character development! TOO MUCH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!**

**Torii: My author's crazy. Save me!**

**Le Author: She's my creation. I can develop her any way I please.**

**Torii: You sound like Captain Kurotsuchi.**

**Le Author: ...Don't ever say that.**


	2. Look At All the Pretty People!

**I realized it was rather unclear.**

**The numbers in parentheses are the number of days since Sayuri's graduation. **

**And I've taken to my OC's request: it is BACK STORY TIME! Bum bah bahhhh!**

* * *

(13)

Many of the officers were surprised when they learned the newbie Torii would be on the special mission to the Real World. But not _too _surprised. She _had _been the one who made their captain pass out with a stomp to the face, and was rumored to have already mastered her shikai in her third year.

Those things didn't hinder her social position in the Division, though. Her kindred spirit and happy smiles seemed to draw in people- she had even gotten on the good side of the _captain_, it was rumored, though no one really knew that extent and were too scared to ask. But he'd looked at her and smiled...

...which was almost as weird as when she lifted his bangs and touched his face that one time...and he hadn't pulled away...

Fair enough, she was checking the progress of the resulting bruise of her beautiful kick, but still.

And now, she stood at the side of the team, gazing down at the town in excitement. The first trip to the Real World really was interesting, smiled Iori, the vice captain who had taken a special interest in that girl.

Speaking of whom, now looked like a real shinigami, in the black robes and her zanpakutou wrapped easily around her thin waist.

"Look at those birds!" Sayuri suddenly exclaimed to her vice captain and pointed at a sparrow lazily flying below their feet.

"We have birds in Soul Society," Tani pointed out gently.

"But these are just...so much cooler!"

Iori shook her head slightly. Torii was strong, but was like such a young person sometimes. So innocuous- it was hard to believe she had the ability to slice menos in half.

"We'll divide into two groups," Kira called, face grim in contrast to Sayuri's bright mood. "The strange Hollow presences are, according to the Institute, converging near the west; group one tracks around the area while group two directly corner. Seats ten down with Iori, everyone else with me."

Kira frowned.

The Research Institute had detected strange Arrancar-like readings from the Real World. The strange thing was, Arrancar were usually solitary beings...unless they were working for a common master. He wrapped his hand hard around the hilt.

But even stranger, the readings were indistinguishable between Arrancar, Hollow, human, even shinigami- Captain Kurotsuchi had excitedly demanded a reishi sample brought back to his laboratory immediately; he was often hyped up about being able to cut something open and watching their secrets spill.

He couldn't help but think: if Kira was cut open, what would people find? Guilt? Bad dreams? All those lives he _could have saved _by thinking more?

"Kira-san, stop doing that."

He started. "Doing what?"

Torii pointed crossly at his general proximity. "You look like you're drowning. It's unbecoming."

"Sorry." He bit his lip and his blue eyes swept the ground.

"No," she said, this time quietly. "Don't be. I lied. It's very becoming. It matches your hair."

He cracked a dry smile. "Thanks."

"Take a look at all these little shops," Sayuri grinned, running by a few street vendors selling fruit and ice bars before going back to his side. "Haven't you ever wished you could just sit here for a while? Make a life as a shopkeeper instead of fighting Hollows?"

"No...I've never actually considered..." Kira stopped.

"Yeah," Torii sighed, touching her blank arm band. Her eyes shifted like embers, and he stared at them. Such young eyes, but so sad. What happened to the girl who laughed at birds just a few minutes ago?

"I couldn't imagine either," Sayuri continued. "Think about it; who'd protect these people? _I _would. I think that makes me happier than the other way around, don't you agree?"

He didn't answer, and she seemed to expect that, because she kept quiet too.

Until they took a few more steps, and Kira told her, "Yeah."

She smiled, eyes trained forward. "Just yeah?"

"Yeah."

For a moment, a fleeting moment, Torii wanted to take his hand. Make him happy. Make him brave.

And in the next, he wanted to take hers too, find that connection, that _human_ connection that people seemed to brag about all the time-

_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_

A blood-curdling scream ripped through the peaceful plaza, causing the students to scream and dive to the ground as a hideous monster ripped through the trees, sending light posts toppling and Real World vendors shrieking at the sudden gale ripping their tents apart.

He scrambled back behind an overturned cart. Its face was a diamond shield, a pair of blacker than black eyes and a large crack where its mouth would be. Unlike a normal Hollow, however, it wore a neat white robe and shiny boots like an Arrancar...but it wasn't an Arrancar- the mask on its face was unbroken...

"Fall back!" Kira yelled, diving back as the Hollow swept out a katana and felled two more shinigami. The rest of the team ran back obediently as Izuru directed them to flash-step towards Iori's group, and he turned to face the Hollow.

"Lead it away from the people!" Sayuri screamed, guarding a human woman peering around in confusion, holding her unconscious child's hand. The little boy's legs were caught under a collapsed tent pole, and the Hollow turned its head on Torii, whose hands shuddered...

"TORII!" someone screamed- was it Kira's voice? He couldn't tell-

She raised her zanpakutou defiantly, and Izuru felt something desperate in him release, automatically flash-stepping in front of her, a moment, a fleeting moment too late...

...as she gasped...

...as teeth dug hard into his shoulder...

...as his blade pushed into the Hollow...

...as he burst out in pain...

...as Sayuri's blade sprouted through his back from the impact...

...and as her wide, opal eyes flooded in tears because she had failed to protect them both, just like she had failed to protect her old friend Nori when they were both kids...

...and this man had tried to save her too, and suddenly she realized so many things she could have done differently, then maybe this wouldn't have happened...drowning, drowning, drowning in guilt...drowning in blood...

Kira's eyes rolled back, and he fell off her sword onto the street. His zanpakutou collapsed with the Hollow, and Torii cradled his head and cried next to where the woman was holding her child still and begging when people took her loved one away.

(-1468)

Down in the outer ring of Rukon through District 53, there was a well-trodden path by boys. This time, though, ran down a little girl.

She had dark hair that bobbed at her shoulders, and a happy look about her that contrasted drastically against the bleak surroundings. "Nori!" she was yelling. "Nori! Nori, I found something!"

Someone groaned, and Sayuri glanced up into the tree.

A pair of dirty bare feet.

"Nori!"

"Wha-t?" He yawned, green eyes blinking and bronze hair a mess. "I was napping."

"Look what I _found_," she grinned, holding out her hands. "_Look_."

A small orb, flickering and pale, like her eyes. It glowed a slight blue, and pulsed like a heart. Nori glanced at it distrustfully.

"It feels weird," he sniffed, hopping down from the tree.

"It feels _good_," she said, staring at it, transfixed. "I can make it bigger now, see?" And sure enough, it inflated to the size of her head.

"It still feels weird," Nori shifted uneasily. "I don't like it."

"I do."

"Of course _you _do. You _made _it."

"Shush."

"Maybe that's why I think it's weird- because _you _made it."

She stuck out her tongue and peered into the reishi happily.

Even then, it felt like she knew; that her future was in that spirit energy, and how much everything would change very, very soon because of it.

"I love it."

And like he sensed what that pulsing ember held in store for him, Nori sniffed and shook his head again.

(14)

And then she'd messed up again, today, with Kira. It had never occurred to her that shinigami actually _did _get hurt in battle- that she had the ability to kill and protect...

_And what if Kira-san..._

Her hands balled into fists, fingernails digging into her skin.

_Because of her..._

She'd always believed in leaving the past behind, but not knowing was a rude, rude awakening to her ignorantly contented bliss.

The clack of sandals brought Torii back to life.

"Ah, Torii-san," Urahara sang, fan hiding his mouth. "You want to see him?"

He was dressed strangely- a striped hat, loose robe, and a pair of wooden sandals that clacked against the floor and added about three inches to his height. This man was very strange, but he had offered to help Kira.

Sayuri didn't usually say yes to strange men, but this time, she had no choice.

Both their intercoms had fizzled out from the strange reishi interception, and she couldn't sense the rest of her team anywhere- they must have already returned to Soul Society.

"Oh, by the way," he said, offering a hand from where she curled up against the wall, "you might want to consider renting a gigai."

How he knew so much about healing and gigai and Soul Society, Sayuri was not sure, but she was not going to ask either.

"My team won't be able to find me then," Torii stated in a cracked voice, following him through the shop's many hallways. "They'll track our reiatsu and take us home."

"Those Hollows..." he peered to look at her. "You realized they weren't regular Arrancar, right?"

Torii stopped. All she'd been thinking of was stabbing Kira...

"They're offspring of a beast called White," Urahara told her, face turning dark and hat playing dark shadows under his eyes. "White had the capability of biting shinigami and starting a process known as _hollowfication_, and bitten shinigami become _Visored_. But what if it bit a Hollow?"

He started walking again. "A second-generation White, or _Off-White_, as I call them. And your friend was bitten by an _Off-White_. They're attracted by high-reishi beings like yourself. I've managed to stop any kind of hollowfication if there happens to be any...but..."

Sayuri's heart stopped for a beat.

_But..._

"...let's get you that gigai!" the man grinned, then hollered, "Jinta-kun! Ururu-chan!"

Two kids shuffled along, carrying something heavy. They dropped it in front of her and Torii almost screamed. It looked like a stripped human girl, with red muscle streaks and holes where eyes should be.

"...That's a gigai?"

"Yup."

"So...I just..." Sayuri put a tentative foot into it- her sandal sunk in easily, and the gigai's foot shimmered, then mirrored a bare human foot. "That's...actually really _cool_," Torri grinned.

"Thank you. I made it myself," Urahara tapped his fan on her head. "Now come in here~" he slid open an empty room.

The little girl curtsied and shyly held out a bundle of creamy green fabric. "A dress," she murmured.

Torii blinked, holding it up from the hem.

"What's a dress?"

"Women's business," Urahara said, quickly ushering Jinta down the hall with a swat of his fan.

Ururu curtsied again.

* * *

It was a fresh minty color, sewn tight around the waist with a lacy collar. Sayuri wondered for a moment if Kira would think it looked nice- or if he would be awake in the first place.

Torii slid the door back open. Ururu had left saying something about chores, and the tiles were cold under her bare feet. Voices floated down the corridor- she followed them, curious.

"Who is this again? This is such a terrible injury..."

"_Kira_," someone said, aggravated. "What the hell happened to him?"

"I don't know," came Urahara's light reply. "Let's ask, shall we?"

The door slid open, and they stared at her for a second. Her normal smile was replaced by a tired line, and they wondered for a moment if she really wasn't human by that practiced look on her face. Sayuri glanced at the newcomers; a pretty girl with long warm-colored hair, and a boy with a scowl that could tangle with Captain Hitsugaya's.

"How's Kira?" she asked, hesitantly stepping in before leaning against the door frame for support.

"Ah, Torii-san," Urahara sang, gesturing her to a mat next to a stretched-out cloth- which she made an effort not to look at. A bright orange shield covered him, emitting a strange reiatsu. She couldn't sense a hint of his. "Inoue-san and Kurosaki-kun. They're human, if you're curious."

"How's Kira?"

She stared at him with such desperate eyes, Urahara looked down.

"Kira-dono is recovering well," the big man Tessai managed to say through his mustache. "Inoue-san has a special gift."

"Heheh..." the girl scratched her head, embarrassed. "It's no problem."

"Oh, that's..." Sayuri rubbed her arm. Normally she didn't have problems talking to people. The Torii Effect seemed broken.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Urahara seemed to brighten. "How about you and Sayuri-san browse the Real World together! I have," his eyes made shadows again, "some things to discuss with Kurosaki-kun."

"O-okay," Orihime stuttered, offering a smile to Sayuri.

"Is Kira going to be okay?" Torii asked, concerned.

"I can control my powers from wherever," Inoue reassured her. "Now come on," she glanced at Kurosaki, who stared firmly out the window. "Let's go."

* * *

**Ohhhhh!**

**What is Urahara talking to Ichigo about?**

**Where will Sayuri and Inoue go? **

**Why am I asking all these questions? I know all the answers already! HAH!**

**Stay tuned. You guys are great. Everyone's great. We just need to remind ourselves, but most of all, each other of that every once in a while.**

**Torii: Hey! You totally stole my line!**

**Le Author: Well, _technically..._**


	3. Are You Still Mad At Me?

**You beautiful people ought to review- I strive from criticism. Yes. _Beautiful. _Even you.**

* * *

**Previously...**

_"Oh, I have an idea!" Urahara seemed to brighten. "How about you and Sayuri-san browse the Real World together! I have," his eyes made shadows again, "some things to discuss with Kurosaki-kun." _

_"O-okay," Orihime stuttered, offering a smile to Sayuri. _

_"Is Kira going to be okay?" Torii asked, concerned. _

_"I can control my powers from wherever," Inoue reassured her. "Now come on," she glanced at Kurosaki, who stared firmly out the window. "Let's go."_

* * *

"What's your name again? I forgot," Orihime said sheepishly.

"Torii Sayuri," she couldn't help but smile. "And I hadn't told you yet either."

"You're very brave," Inoue said wistfully. She took her arm to stop her from crossing a red-light street. "I wish I could fight like that."

Sayuri had told her the details of the fight, and it made facing them a bit easier. At least Kira would be alright.

"He _saved _me," Torii shook her head slightly. "Fool. He saved me."

"Kurosaki-kun saves us all the time," Orihime sighed. "I wish I could protect him once in a while." She laughed, oak hair spilling off one shoulder. "Silly, isn't it?"

"Not at all; we all want to give someone something. I spread happiness easily, I'm told." Sayuri gave a dry laugh. "I mean...not right _now_, but..."

They crossed the street. The vendors and small market didn't seem so fascinating to Torii anymore.

"You're lovely, Torii-san," Orihime sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could be brave like you."

"You're plenty brave. There's just a difference between those who want to be heroes, and those who want to protect. I like being a protector. Kira does too, and what I don't understand is why he had to get in the way...I just don't..."

"Maybe he wanted to protect _you_," Inoue prompted gently.

"I _stabbed him in the chest_, Orihime-san," her lip quivered, and she had to stop walking to focus on breathing. "That was me."

"He's fine now," Inoue pointed out gently.

"But I _stabbed _him-"

"Don't drown yourself in stuff like that, Torii-san."

Sayuri looked up. That sounded awfully familiar. She was pretty sure she had heard that somewhere before.

"I think...you have to believe some things just...happen in the past," she continued, brushing orange hair out of her face. "Sometimes I think too much about it too, but talking about it helps. Like when my brother died, I kept everything in. Then I met Tatsuki-chan, and Sado-kun, Ishida-kun, and Kurosaki-kun, and things were...better." Inoue smiled, and Torii realized that this was how she was to other people- constantly telling them better times would come.

She suddenly wanted to be old Sayuri again. The one that could fix things with a smile.

"Oh! And I know what'll cheer you up!" Orihime took her hand pulled her along through the crowd, and Sayuri let herself forget about the future and the past for a second, just the feeling of being with a friend, normal for once without having to be brave.

Orihime gazed at her excitedly with big brown eyes.

"Well, try it."

Torri stared at the plop in front of her.

Inoue had led her onto a bus and down a few corners to find this one obscure store that actually _sold _taro ice cream.

And taro? That hairy stuff people put in stew?

_Humans..._would eat anything.

"Just try it," Inoue beamed.

Torii dipped the spoon into the purple paste, and oh, God forbid- put it in her mouth.

And instead of bursting into flames, Sayuri's eyes widened. "It's good," she murmured past the spoon. "It tastes like..._good_."

They both grinned.

After finishing and window-shopping, they both got back onto the bus, as Orihime felt her healing wall disperse with Kira's awakening. Sayuri was a bit mixed about seeing him wake up. Would he be angry at her? Would he be confused? Or uncomfortable?

He was stabbed in the chest. Of course he'd be uncomfortable.

And that bite..._Off-White_...Urahara had insisted Kira would be fine, but...

_"White had the capability of biting shinigami and starting a process known as _hollowfication_, and bitten shinigami become _Visored_."_

She would tell him. Kira deserved to know. Back at Soul Society- the first thing she'd do would be tell him.

(15)

The members of the Third Division wondered what was going on in their captain's office. The door was not usually closed, rarely hosted a private meeting (with a _female_, to top it off), and _never _housed such yelling before.

The officers were worried. Iori was worried. Kira and Sayuri- two of the most peaceful people she'd ever met- were taking turns slapping each other in the face. But judging by the words, it was more than that. She wasn't listening in, of course, but...she winced as someone slammed their fist against the wall, making everyone turn their head uneasily.

No one _tried _to listen, but they were just so _loud_...

"You don't need to be so..." Kira ran an aggravated hand through his hair. "This isn't a _show_, Torii- this isn't...isn't...school; this is _real life_."

Torii gathered that Izuru was not quite adept at arguing- he had a constant way of licking his lips and starting his sentences over again. She, however, was no better. Sayuri was usually a genial person- empathy permitted her to understand, and sometimes sympathize with whoever she had a problem with. Her own arguments were based on fact, hoping someone would figure out the wrongs themselves. With Kira- with _Kira_- this could not be the case. And the only logical explanation she could think of in her rare anger was, _he started it._

Sayuri crossed her arms from where she leaned against the wall. "You think I did this for _myself_?" she hissed in out-of-character fire. She didn't understand why Kira was so miffed. "_I _helped that woman and her son."

Not that she had been expecting some dramatic teary reunion, but still.

"It's my duty too, Torii, darn it," Kira slammed his hand against the desk. It was clear across the room, but she felt it like he was right beside her, reishi pooling in waves of aggravation off of her own skin. "I'm a shinigami _too_. I could've helped; you could've thought it out a bit-"

"Says _you_, who threw and impaled himself on-"

Sayuri gagged on the feeling of his warm body falling off her blade, slick with his blood. Her hand pressed hard on her mouth, but tears still melted in her eyes.

He harbored no sympathy for her, however.

If she had _died_, could he ever live with that guilt?

_He had so much already-_

"That was for _you_, Torii! For _your_ foolish decision!" Kira licked his lips. "What would we have done if you died?"

She let tears spill hot down her face. They wouldn't be a sign of weakness tonight, but a sign of passion.

"You would have _lived on_," Torii shouted, dark hair rippling and sticking to her wet cheeks. "You would have saved those people and killed that Hollow, and I would've died, but _so what?_ You have been a _captain _for once and not let all your personal _guilt _get in the way."

She spat out that word and he flinched as if Sayuri had struck him- because it was true, all of it; all of it true.

He paced to the bookshelf, fists trembling, itching for something to throw, his mouth thirsting for something to drink. Kira hated how these were his natural coping mechanisms- and how he couldn't reach for them right now even more so.

"You make it sound bad that I saved them," she continued hotly. He saw her reflection in a picture frame: the fiery locks Kira had once briefly compared to burnt copper shook violently, and her startling opal eyes were shiny and reflective with tears. "It was _you _who risked his life- do you think you would be the _only_ grief-stricken one if either one of us died? Don't be such a _hero _all the time_- TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT ME, KIRA!_"

At that, he whirled around, marching up to her and taking her shoulders, face flushed and black-eye pounding, though it had long-since faded. Her heart beat so hard against her ribs it hurt. Grief, grief, grief. Drowned her. Drowned both of them, really, in different ways. She fought to keep her head above the surface.

"You think this is about my _dignity? Being a hero? _People _died_, Sayuri- innocent people you wanted to save-"

"-so you wanted me to _leave them?!_"

He glared at her and though he was a few inches taller, she peered up defiantly, tears dripping to her chin and digging invisible lines into her skin that would never go away. Sayuri wanted to be angry at how selfish he was being. Who was he kidding? This wasn't about life- this was about his stupid _guilt_. About how he couldn't live with himself if anyone else died. About how he was too _weak _to shoulder these things, and made it worse by blaming himself. She wanted to be so _angry _and point that out-

-but his eyes...

"I...don't want to die either, Kira-san," she said calmly, surprising both of them.

...like dull oceans...

"But dying in the name of protection...is something I wish to die for someday, even if that means a new burden on the ones I leave behind."

... and he was _drowning, drowning, drowning_...

She leaned forward to offer him a lifeline...

"Don't talk like you understand," he said in a voice and dull cyan eyes so cold, Sayuri could do nothing but peer up at him, stricken. Kira paced back to his desk, leaving her to fall against the wall, shaken. "Don't you _ever _talk like you understand."

(20)

The rest of the days past in a short haze; paperwork was filed constantly at her door about the incident. Sayuri cut out the part of the strange man who saved her- just that a girl found and healed them. The Gotei 13 superiors didn't think that strange, and Torii never thought to ask why.

She spent time training with Iori in kidou, and facilitating her still-lacking skills in shunpo. The time out of training was wasted in gossip sessions with her fellow squad members and the Women's Shinigami Association, which Tani had insisted was worth the trouble they often got into. And the other spare moments in the day were spent in Jinzen, conversing with her sword, who could sense her wielder's restlessness but never troubled with asking what it was.

But despite her purposeful filling of each day and the constant progress she was making in training did nothing to appease the gnawing thought in the back of her mind.

Because Sayuri wanted to tell Kira.

Being bitten by an Off-White seemed pretty important for him to know, considering there was bit of inactivated Hollow within him. But since that shouting match, she'd felt too guilty to go try and talk. And suppose they did end up talking- would their friendship always be fragile?

_Two weeks in and everyone already saw the worst of us. Three weeks and no one sees I'm a mess. _She stared at her hands under the table. She and Kira were the least likely people to argue; Torii was a naturally good-natured person, and Izuru more introspective and sensitive. Yet still, somehow, she'd managed to make him bend and almost break. His only argument against her was that she almost died, and he wouldn't be able to live with that guilt. Not even the sorrow- but the _guilt_.

It almost hurt; how he couldn't shoulder _his_ pain of loss, but could somehow shoulder the loss.

Guilt, guilt, guilt.

Why did it always have come back to that with Kira?

"Are you ready, Sayuri-chan?" Someone's bubbly voice popped up in her head.

Torii gave a start and blinked. "Hm?"

"We're voting now," Matsumoto chided, holding up two pictures of a floral arrangement for a something-or-the-other event coming up. The other members of the Women's Association peered at Torii expectantly. The meeting came back to her suddenly- discussing various patterns and party theme options before entering a debate over a new soul candy dispenser; she must have dozed off a little.

The Tenth Division lieutenant put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Haven't you been listening?"

"I'm a bit...dazy," Torii admitted. "It _is_ a break day tomorrow."

"Ooh!" Yashiru chirped. "Who's going to buy more candy?"

"No one," Nanao stated irritably, sighing and giving on discussing fundraising as the group dispersed into their break day plans. "You've eaten them all, Captain."

"Impossible!" Yachiru slammed her small fist into the table, pink hair bobbing. "This is a big problem!"

"Not as big as the lack of funds! Order, order, please!" Nanao tapped her finger against the podium like a gavel as the dozen members reluctantly turned their attention back on their vice-captain.

"Now, our budget for this year has been depleted," Ise pulled out a graph, showing a constant downhill plunge. "We either need to fundraise, or find another way to make money to finance our costs with the following year."

Matusmoto raised her hand. "How about, we-" She began untying her robe.

"NO! LEWD!" Nanao shrieked. "WE'RE NOT TAKING THAT SUGGESTION AGAIN!"

"I just wanted to redesign the uniforms," Rangiku pouted.

"Too expensive. Next?"

"I have a great idea!" Yachiru chirped. "Let's have a bake sale!"

"Captain, the last time we had a bake sale..." Nemu's monotone voice interjected, "...we ended up with black rocks and Byakuya-sama was extremely upset with us for ruining his stove."

"It _was _his house," Insane pointed out quietly. "And we never specified we'd be using it. And scaring away the kitchen staff to use the ovens for ourselves..."

"-Besides the point!" Yachiru bopped the Fourth Division lieutenant on the head. "What we need is cold hard cash! And we're going to get it! Any ideas?"

"We could...rob the Men's Association," quipped Kiyone cheerfully.

"...Or jump the treasury," added Matsumoto.

"Or hold the Captain Commander at sword-point until he gives us our funds?" The group became wide-eyed.

"Kidding, kidding," chuckled Captain Unohana.

Sayuri piped up. "How about a ticketed event?"

Ise and Yachiru cocked their heads. "What kind of event?"

"I don't know...we could have a party? Or games? People would pay to enter, and we could have prizes and rewards," Torii said thoughtfully. "Orihime-san called it a 'carnival'?"

"That'd deplete the remaining minimum of our funds," quoted Ise dubiously.

"It sounds like a good investment," Captain Unohana smiled.

Iori poked her kohai playfully in the arm. "Who knew you could have such good ideas?"

Yachiru clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! It's settled then! Torii-Yuri's got good ideas!"

"Torii-Yuri...that's...cute, Yachiru-san."

"As President, I'm putting Boobies in charge of the party, and Torii-Yuri and Irio in charge of the games!"

"I think I'm Irio," Iori whispered. "She's started calling me that after her favorite cookie."

"The best cookie!" corrected Yachiru. "Now get to work and throw a party!"

* * *

**So...there's an idiot in my life right now. I think I'm in love with him. Why am I telling you this? Let's see if this is inspiration in the chapters to come, why don't we?**

**__****Exclusive Interview With Le Author and Le OC**

**Le Author: So...what do you think?**

**Torii: I don't like this.**

**Le Author: WHY NOT?!**

**Torii: Kira's angry at me...**

**Le Author: Oh, quit it. Not everything WORKS OUT AS PLANNED, GOSH DARNIT.**

**Torii: Hey! I'm already under a lot of stuff! Don't get mad at me!**

**Le Author: Fine. Sorry. You're beautiful.**

**Torii: Thank you. Is that idiot still being irritating?  
**

**Le Author: Don't. Even.**

**Torii: You're beautiful.**

**Le Author: I don't like this.**


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